Guilt
by GreekEMTSlytherinSpriteFairy
Summary: Aaron accidentally kills Strauss, but the guilt is eating at him. Who will be there to help him deal with it? H/P Warning: Strauss dies!


AN: Alright, so Cassie and I were talking while watching "Doubt" and Cassie asked if she could kill Strauss, and we really need to stop talking because my mind went into overdrive coming up with a story line and lo and behold I am here aren't I? *sees Cassie's worried look* No I didn't make my head explode *mutters* this time. *grins* So sit back, relax, and have fun!

Warning: Yada yada yada… Strauss dies. You've been warned.

Disclaimer: I only own the brilliance of a serious way that Strauss dies!

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They had the unsub surrounded. Strauss had come along on one of her routine checks, or at least that was what she called them. She mostly wanted to know that even with the relationships the team had formed that they could still be objective. Things had gotten out of hand and they had chased the unsub through the house and had finally had him surrounded. But he still had a rifle in his hands. They weren't going to chance the unsub trying to shoot them while they arrested him, so they stood, guns trained on the man.

"I am going to shoot" he looked around wildly, before his eyes settled on Emily, "her" he said, loading his gun. He leveled the gun at Em's head and at that moment four gunshots went off. Emily, JJ, and Strauss were on the floor.

"Emily" Hotch yelled as he ran to her side. She and JJ sat up, both unharmed. Reid rushed to the unsub's side and checked him for a pulse. He turned to Hotch and shook his head. Aaron nodded as he pulled Emily into his arms. Derek noticed Strauss was still lying on the floor. As he walked closer, he could see blood. He rushed to her side and dropped to his knees, checking for her pulse. He found none.

"Hotch!" he screamed, much the same as he had when Reid and Em were held by Cyrus. Hotch raced to his side and checked for a pulse. There was none. The two tried CPR until the EMTs came and took over. Ten minutes later they called it.

Erin Strauss was dead.

Hotch took notice of the bullet wounds in the unsub, there were two, one from the front, where Derek was standing and one from the back right, where Dave was standing. There was a bullet hole in the ceiling from the rifle. The only other shot was in…

The thought hit him like a ton of bricks. He backed away slowly. He killed Strauss. He turned and walked away, Emily following him and the others looking after them in curiosity.

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Aaron got into the SUV and set his head on the steering wheel. The tears pricked at his eyes. He didn't look up when the passenger door opened. He knew who it was. Emily set her hand on his back and stroked gently, the diamond ring on her finger glittering in the sunlight.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently. Aaron laughed humorously.

"Let's see, you and our child were almost shot and I killed Strauss" he said. Emily froze and replayed the scene in her head. She opened her eyes and leaned closer to him.

"The baby and I are fine, we can even go to the doctor's when we get home and the shooting, it was an accident and you have the team to back you up. It. Was. An. Accident" she enunciated each word to get it through to him. Aaron nodded, the guilt still eating at him. Emily sighed as she read his face. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number, putting it on speaker phone.

"Mom?" a childish voice called out. Aaron smiled involuntarily at the young boy. He missed Jack. They had been gone for almost two weeks. As much as he loved his job, sometimes he had a fleeting thought of quitting.

"I'm here too, buddy" Aaron said, his emotions thick in his voice. Emily smiled as the little boy talked animatedly about how things have been since the last time they talked. Emily watched as Aaron's face lit up. That was all he needed, his family. The baby started moving, causing Emily to gasp and grab Aaron hand and set it on her stomach.

"What's wrong mom?" Jack asked, worry in his voice. Emily smiled. He was just like his father.

"The baby's moving, that's all" she said. Jack giggled and proceeded to talk to the baby, throwing comments out there for his parents as well. He let out a yawn and both occupants in the car chuckled. "Bedtime kiddo."

"Night mom, night dad, night baby" he said. Both parents smiled.

"Night kiddo" they said in unison. Jack hung up the phone and Emily turned her full attention back to Aaron.

"Better?" she asked. Aaron nodded and leaned forward, kissing her lightly.

"Thank you" he whispered. Emily smiled.

"Anytime" she said.

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"They ruled it an accidental shooting" Aaron said as he walked through the door a few weeks later. Emily, her stomach slowly expanding, smiled. She knew it, but right now 'I told you so' was not needed. Right now they needed to celebrate. One Strauss was dead and out of their lives and two Aaron was cleared of the shooting. Oh what a great day it was in the Hotchner house.

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AN: *rereads it* Well… that didn't go as planned. Although nothing ever does. Anyway, I hope it at least read right. I dunno. It's late lol! So thanks for reading now please review!


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